


Creatures of the night

by mckvch (RaiseYourVoice)



Series: Tumblr prompts [24]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Bane Chronicles - Sarah Rees Brennan & Cassandra Clare & Maureen Johnson, The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: (kind of), Canon Compliant, Confessions, First Dates, First Kiss, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Tumblr Prompt, Zoo, awkward Simon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 07:30:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10079564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaiseYourVoice/pseuds/mckvch
Summary: "Where are we even going?" Raphael questioned after a little while, interrupting Simon's rant about some new superhero movie he recently watched and apparently wanted to convince the clan leader to watch it as well."A little more patience, we're almost there," Simon grinned at him, pointing down the road and jumping right back into his monologue as if he hadn't been interrupted at all. Raphael simply rolled his eyes at the reply but didn't ask any further, accepting the fact that the fledgeling was apparently playing some kind of game here and maybe he was silently enjoying to listen to Simon's rant about whatever topic came to his mind because it was actually kind of nice to hear the other's cheerful blabbering.When they turned around the corner and Raphael finally realised what building they were headed towards, he raised his eyebrows and stared at Simon in disbelieve while the other vampire at least had the decency to look mildly sheepish.





	

**Author's Note:**

> _Saphael + pre-relationship + Simon somehow forgetting V-Day, asking Raphael out to the zoo a night later (not as a date shh ;)), breaking into the zoo and there, in the butterfly house, or maybe where the bats sleep, clumsily confessing his love for Raphael._
> 
> Well, it's kind of a love confession? I don't know what this even is, sorry *laughs*

When Simon had showed up earlier this night and asked Raphael to accompany him _somewhere,_ the clan leader had been more than surprised and actually thought the other was asking him out on a date in a very weird way. But it quickly became apparent that Simon didn't mean this to be a date and if he did, surely he would have asked him a night earlier because it had been Valentine's Day then.

On their way, the fledgeling was rambling about movies and games as usual and while Raphael enjoyed listening to the other, despite not even understanding half of what Simon was on about, he couldn't help the feeling of disappointment about the realisation that this was just the young vampire wanting the company of a friend, nothing more. It were moments like this one that convinced him of his feelings being one-sided, even if there were quite a few things that seemed to prove the opposite.

Simon might really just be attached to him because Raphael had always been the one taking care of him ever since he turned and not because there were feeling involved that went past friendship and the clan leader wasn't even sure if they could be called friends either. He had no idea what their relationship was and it was honestly frustrating but he also couldn't bring himself to ask the younger vampire about it.

"Where are we even going?" Raphael questioned after a little while, interrupting Simon's rant about some new superhero movie he recently watched and apparently wanted to convince the clan leader to watch it as well.

"A little more patience, we're almost there," Simon grinned at him, pointing down the road and jumping right back into his monologue as if he hadn't been interrupted at all. Raphael simply rolled his eyes at the reply but didn't ask any further, accepting the fact that the fledgeling was apparently playing some kind of game here and maybe he was silently enjoying to listen to Simon's rant about whatever topic came to his mind because it was actually kind of nice to hear the other's cheerful blabbering.

When they turned around the corner and Raphael finally realised what building they were headed towards, he raised his eyebrows and stared at Simon in disbelieve while the other vampire at least had the decency to look mildly sheepish.

"The zoo, really, Simon?"

"Well...I haven't been here in forever and I thought it would be nice? And I didn't want to go alone but I knew you wouldn't agree to go with me if you knew because it's _childish_ or whatever but...now that we're here already..." Simon blinked at him with hopeful doe-eyes and Raphael really wished he would be able to at least pretend that this expression wasn't able to get him to basically agree to everything the other asked of him.

"Dios mío, you're insufferable," he sighed but the way Simon's face lit up because he realised he had won without even having to start a discussion Raphael couldn't prevent the corners of his mouth from twitching upward but turned his head away a little to hide the reaction.

"You realise the zoo is already closed?" The clan leader asked and looked back at Simon when the other made a small, almost embarrassed, noise in the back of his throat. His eyes widened a little when he realised what the fledgeling was up to. "You want to break into a zoo in the middle of the night?"

"We're vampires, it can't be too difficult to get inside and we can easily get away if anyone spots us," Simon shrugged and blinked up at Raphael from underneath his long lashes. The clan leader cast his eyes heavenwards as if to ask God why this was happening to him and why he was the one dragged into such a ridiculous situation. Raphael usually wouldn't agree because he might be a vampire but he wouldn't break the law for unnecessary reasons like this. Breaking in was something he had never done and never wanted to do.

Though, faced with Simon's pleading puppy eyes and his endearing eagerness to visit the zoo made it impossible to say no. They would never be able to visit a zoo when it was open, so this was basically the only option and Raphael honestly didn't want to deny Simon this, even if it meant breaking in.

He inwardly send an apology to his mother who had raised him better than this, before breathing out an "Okay but you will listen to me and not do anything stupid!" that was answered with another eager smile and a quick nod.

* * *

"I can't believe we're doing this," Raphael mumbled once again while he followed Simon through the dark hallway. They had successfully entered the zoo and had just entered the building with 9the nocturnal animals after Simon had realised that, of course, most animals other were asleep at this time.

"Oh my G--" Simon choked on the word _God_ as usual but he didn't even mind it this time because he was distracted staring wide-eyed through the glass into one of the cages. The lights were off, of course, but with their enhanced senses, the vampires were still able to see pretty well in the darkness. Raphael stepped up to the fledgeling with a frown and grimaced a little when he spotted the animal that had caused Simon's reaction because it wasn't exactly the prettiest creature.

"This thing is creepy," Simon mumbled and Raphael didn't point out that it was kind of ridiculous to think some small primate was creepy, especially coming from an actual vampire.

"It's called Aye-Aye. Kind of a weird name," Raphael commented after his eyes had found the board with the information about the animals next to the window. He was pretty sure he had heard about these before but he had never really seen one in a zoo. Back when he had been alive, he had only visited a zoo twice with his younger brothers because they could never really afford it more often and the zoo they went to had been a lot smaller than this one.

"Yeah, I think I saw a documentary about them a while back but I didn't think they would be this creepy in real-life," Simon replied and visibly shuddered, causing Raphael to snort softly in amusement and roll his eyes fondly. They weren't _that_ creepy but he could understand why Simon would think that, being stared at with large eyes that were framed by short, messy fur.

"Come on, let's get going. The bats should be up next," the fledgeling finally announced after a few more seconds of his staring contest with the weird looking animal. Of course, Simon wanted to head to the bats and Raphael breathed out a sigh but followed the other willingly, mentally preparing for some stupid puns or vampire jokes that were sure to happen.

"They are adorable. Look at the fruit bats and their cute beady eyes," Simon commented when they stood in front of the window where you could see said creatures, dangling from branches or flying around. Raphael hummed in agreement but his eyes were mostly fixed on the fledgeling with his eyes wide with excitement, palm pressed against the glass and his nose almost touched the cool surface as well.

"Can we actually turn into bats? That would be so cool."

Raphael knew this question would pop up sooner or later and he was surprised it only happened now. He stepped a little closer to the younger vampire so their shoulders barely brushed together and directed his eyes at the animals in the darkness in front of them, a few staring right back at them with curious eyes.

"No, we can't."

Simon made a disappointed little sound but turned around a little, facing Raphael with a smile on his face that caused his eyes to light up as well.

"Thank you for coming here with me. Even if most of the animals are asleep and there isn't much to see but it's still nice, especially because I get to spend some more time with you," Simon almost whispered into the rather small distance between them, his eyes suddenly with an unusually vulnerable expression and lips curving into a rather tentative smile.

"I would have ended up spending the night with paperwork so I guess this is a better way to spend the time, somehow."

"Geez, don't be too cheerful," Simon laughed, gently nudging Raphael's shoulder with his own before he dropped his gaze to the side, sucking in an unnecessary breath as if steeling himself for whatever he was about to say next.

"You know, actually...I wanted to tell you something; for quite a while already but I never knew how or when," the fledgeling admitted, suddenly nervous and looking anywhere but at Raphael's face. The clan leader frowned but didn't ask why the other thought that now was the right times, instead he waited for Simon to elaborate.

"I--You're really important to me. Like... _really_ important and...I know it's probably just one-sided and that I better shut up now before I make things awkward between us but I thought...you deserve to know, you know?"

Raphael blinked and he honestly couldn't quite follow the other's train of thoughts. Sure, he could imagine what Simon was trying to say, even though he was pretty sure he must be misunderstanding the situation because there was no way this was actually happening...

"You're important to me as well," Raphael replied cautiously, cocking his head a little while watching the other's embarrassed expression.

"Yes, I know - at least I guessed it - but it's not just--I don't mean it in a platonic way?" Simon looked mildly frustrated by now, stumbling over the words that tumbled from his lips and his own eyebrows pulled together. He exhaled a little roughly and instead of giving Raphael a chance to answer, he suddenly bridged the small distance between them to seal the clan leader's lips with a clumsy kiss.

A noise of surprised escaped Raphael's throat and his eyes widened but he was quick to react on the soft press of lips, preventing Simon from pulling back by curling his hand around the other's neck and pulling him closer to deepen the contact a little more. He couldn't even care about the fact that they seriously had their first kiss next to a cage of bats, though Raphael would probably avoid telling anyone about this later on because this setting was just way too ridiculous.


End file.
